How do you explain away significant gaps in your resume?

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Or better yet, how do I?

Graduated from business/technology school 11 years ago.
Haven't had great career success or progress since...
Many temp/short term jobs, very few relevant to my education.

Only figured out my massively ADHD diagnosis about 3 years ago, and my AS diagnosis (and other lesser afflictions) 6 months or so ago.. which now all explains my past work history very clearly to me.

Currently working a couple part time jobs that don't pay well & that needs to change soon.

While I have done some interesting jobs & learned some things, accomplished some things, had a business partnership etc, there are far more gaps of unemployment or extreme underemployment than positive stretches that I kinda need a way to explain away.

I highly doubt that stating my previously undiagnosed neurological diagnoses affected my past work history would be advantageous, so, obviously I need to say something else.

I'm not certain which type of job I'll apply for next, but in any case whether blue collar or white ideally it's a step or two higher in pay scale w/ regular full time hours, and thus being something that isn't temporary or part time minimum wage work, I'm likely going to have to have a better explanation for my lacking work history than the truth.

Some have advised me to say I was off work helping out w/ an ill family member or something like that. It's not that I can't lie if I have to and it's advisable, I just don't like to. If I must it's gotta be believable and not something that could come back to haunt me.

Any advice is greatly appreciated - Thank you.

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No for supporting trump. Because doing so is deplorable.

Well... I used my art as an excuse.... I sold on ebay for many years (though did not sell enough to support myself) but I said I was a self employed artist... People seemed to like that.

taking care of a sick family member isn't a lie. you're just leaving out that the family member is you.

what I have said is that I have an illness in remission that's expected to stay in remission.

The "excuses" I've give in the past were:
1. I was in a band
2. I was writing a book
3. I relocated to another state

I've never said anything about my medical or drug rehab issues in my resumes because I wouldn't be hired.

I'm in the same boat. I've been unemployed for the last 3 years and it's (unjustifiably) hurting me in acquiring employment. Many companies have an undisclosed policy to skip currently unemployed candidates. What really pisses me off is some companies, after I submit my resume, require me to fill out a long BS online application and questionnaire, with no intention to hire me.

Furthermore, many recruiters have negative assumptions over unemployment gaps, like bad credit, on disability, milking unemployment benefits, etc.

Many people tell me to lie and to put that I am self-employed or working under the table; however, nowadays, employers run your SSN to verify past and current employment income.

Valkyrie2012's excuse seems like it might work. I just hope they don't ask me to see my seller's profile or my "art".

Good luck, Goldfish21!

There is a stigma against the long term unemployed.

http://www.businessinsider.com/stigma-a ... 4#comments

Unfortunately I never found a full time job after I was let go in 2009. Similar to the OP, I have worked many short term temp jobs (which I have extended the length on my Resume) but really didn't add much if anything to my skillset. The problem with such excuses such as 'took time off to care for family member' is that it raises the same question "so why couldn't you find a job", even being in school time when you are older than mid 20's doesn't look good.

Currently, I own my own business as a Self Employed Independent Contractor for FedEx Home Delivery but it hardly compares to a real job.

11 years is a long time, that's going to be really hard to explain. You have had jobs though, would your previous employers speak highly of you?

The best I can come up with would be something like this: "After graduating from college, I really wanted to work in _______ field. It's long been my dream to have a career in ________, but I have been unable to find sufficient employment in the area. As such, I have been attempting to further my professional experience and development through my work in _________, until an opportunity, such as this one, became available".

I would focus on how you like new challenges and trying different things. Yes, this may not be exactly true, but think of things you have come to like because you had to move or change. Everything was a move in the right direction, as you are not badmouthing former bosses.
Ask then what new projects your next job may have. Also, do not leave your job til there is a new one.

Say that you were self employed and doing some freelance work for some of it, say that you had some health problems that have been resolved for some of it and that you were helping a family member for some of it. Make up something for the freelance work. If you are a guy, say you were doing roofing or something with a friend who has a company. If you are a girl say that you were doing some sewing or cleaning for a relative who has a business. You could also say that you were trying to get a business off the ground or that you were auditing some courses or doing independent study. You don't need to use the same excuse for every gap. You can even tell them that you looked for a job during a time but couldn't find one in the area that you were looking. You could even say that you were looking into a religious vocation because you thought you may have been called (this will only work if you are Catholic, but it's one that actually shuts up the interviewers questions fast and usually makes them immediately trust you more and gives you points - at least in the South where everybody is religious, unless they dislike Catholics then it means you don't get the job)

Use lots of different things but write down and memorize what you were "doing" during which time periods. Keep that list so you can remember it if you are ever asked.

_________________
I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
My forum is still there and everyone is welcome to come join as well. There is a private women only subforum there if anyone is interested. Also, there is no CAPTCHA.

The link to the forum is http://www.rightplanet.proboards.com

It's been almost 5 months for me now... I'm really ramping up production of the children's books I've been working on for a long time - I'll need to have a finished product to prove my time off hasn't been a complete waste.

I’ve had a four year gap since graduating University due to illness (depression, anxiety etc) and I explain it with the following succinct sentence:

“Since finishing University I have been exploring voluntary roles, completing courses and workshops and actively seeking employment”.

It is all true and I was told to say it by an employment advisor. It doesn’t matter that a couple of the courses/workshops only lasted one day and that I only stuck at one of the voluntary roles for two sessions as people are unlikely to ask for specific details. Could you come up with something similar? If you have done any kind of projects or gained any skills at all during your period of unemployment, then I would suggest including them.

Also, it is perfectly fine to disclose your difficulties and state this is the reason you haven’t worked much as long as you can put a positive spin on it. Something like, “I’ve had to overcome some personal difficulties caused by my Asperger’s Syndrome etc. I was only recently diagnosed and now I know what I’m dealing with I have been able to put some coping mechanisms in place and feel ready to return to the workplace”. That’s probably quite lame, but hopefully you get the gist of what I’m getting at. I think disclosure is always going to be risky and does leave you quite vulnerable but it could pay off if you come across a potential employer who appreciates honesty and openness and genuinely wants to give you a chance. But it is, of course, a personal choice.

I hope I’ve been helpful.

There was one person who went to his friends and had them invent jobs for him to paper his resume. Apparently, employers in his industry did'nt ask for W-2 stubs.

Also, in your resume, do not forget the power of key words.

I am a librarian and for three months was a telemarketer. There are a lot of skills in common that I focused on (say what???) They included customer service, computer skills, database maintenance, project completion in a timely fashion...telephone skills... Telemarketing and Market research callers are not considered high class jobs, for sure. But if you focus on the relevant skills, then they are better.

Also, list your skills on the left side of your resume and your dates of employment on your right. So that your interviewer is not hit right away with how long ago it was, or for how short a period. A skill gained is a skill gained no matter where or when.

I had to do over fifty interviews, many of them with really weird issues that came up spontaneously, like a police call regarding apprising vandalized property,, that really damaged my interviews or made things strange. After a while it is just a number, nothing more, of resumes or interviews and nothing that reflects on you as a person.

Chin up. It is hard, but you can make it through.